Published 1:00 pm, Wednesday, April 13, 2011

If the Plainview Bulldogs have been waiting until their backs are against the wall to find the playoff panic button, they'd better locate it . . . fast.

A 14-0, five-inning loss to the Canyon Eagles on Tuesday at Bulldog Park left Plainview in a win-out situation over their last four District 3-4A games if the Dogs have any shot at making the playoffs.

That doesn't exactly look promising for Plainview, but coach Hector Limon Jr. isn't about to throw in the towel on the season.

"We'll go back to work tomorrow," Limon said after his team, on a weekend high after Friday's rousing 5-3 win over Caprock, was brought back down to earth by Canyon pitchers T.J. Looney and Tyler Young, who allowed only a pair of hits and just one runner past first base.

Now, Plainview (6-19-1, 2-8) has to win its final four games - Friday at resurgent Palo Duro, at home against Hereford, on the road against Dumas then home against first-place Frenship - to try to sneak into the fourth and final playoff spot.

While that may be a long shot, Limon knows stranger things have happened.

"Hopefully we can build up some momentum by the time we get to Frenship," he said, adding that Plainview is capable of winning all four of its remaining games - no doubt the first three - as there are no real dominant teams in the league. "That's the thing with this district. Everybody is kind of scratching and clawing for that fourth spot."

Second-place Canyon (21-5, 9-1) was close to dominant against the Dogs on Tuesday. The Eagles slugged 13 hits while also benefitting from five walks and three hit batsmen.

"They pitched a lot better than we did," Limon said. "Give their guy on the mound credit. He got after us."

After Plainview starter Will Bass got out of the first inning unscathed while throwing only six pitches and retired the first two batters of the second frame, the Eagles came to life.

The next seven Canyon batters either singled or walked, and before Plainview could get off the field the Eagles were on their way, up 3-0.

Canyon scored four more in the third inning, with all but one of those also coming with two outs on a combination of singles and walks, which Limon said has been an issue all season.

"Walks score runs," the coach said. "We just have to be sharper on the mound."

After holding the Eagles scoreless in the fourth, the bottom fell out for Plain view in the fifth when Canyon erupted for seven runs - all before the Dogs recorded an out.

"I never really threw strikes like I should," said the sophomore Bass (1-6). "I missed my spots. When I did (hit them) we'd get an out."

Bass, who was relieved by Chance Rollins in the fifth, worked from behind in the count most of the night.

"I'd find myself in situations I shouldn't be in, and it kind of progressed from there," he said.

On the other end, Plain view never got its bats going either. The only hits - both singles - came from Rollins in the first and Raul Larralde in the second. Rollins made it to second on a passed ball, but that's as far as any Bulldog runner advanced as Looney and Young combined to face only two batters over the minimum. They struck out six.

"I was relying on my fastball and it came through a lot, and when coach called something off-speed that was working, too," said the 6-foot-6 Looney. "Plus I had a strong defense strong behind me making plays."

Bass said the Dogs didn't attack in the batter's box.

"We watched lot of pitches; we should have been more aggressive," he said. "He threw a lot of fastballs. We should have jumped on it."

While Canyon gears for a showdown with Frenship at home next Tuesday (the Tigers beat the Eagles 16-6 in their first meeting), Plain view focuses on its final four games, knowing that a loss in any of them will put an end to their postseason hopes.